Dr. Mahen Wijesuriya, President Diabetic Association of Sri Lanka speaking at the Health Quest No. 3 programme on Diabetic Eye, said that he would explore the possibility of getting good quality contact lenses for the eye-affected average diabetic patients at cost price.

He came out with this idea when Dr. Dhushayantha Wariyapola, Consultant Ophthalmologist, Sri Jayawardenapura General Hospital, main speaker at the programme speaking on Diabetic retinopathy said most of these patients whose retina is seriously affected needed intra-ocular or contact lenses to restore vision. Although there are cheap lenses in the market he always recommended patients to go in for fair quality lenses at least, for better eye health and vision.

Then the question came up if a patient could not afford to pay for those lenses what would happen?

Dr. Viraj Peramuna, a member of the HealthWatch Medical Authority Panel who was present related a personal experience he had encountered recently when he distributed some contact lenses the Lions Club of Pamunugama had received as a donation from abroad for some patients.

Several of them came back to him and complained that an eye surgeon in a Government Hospital where they went to get the lenses put in refused to carry out the operation on the ground that the lenses were of poor quality.

It was at this stage that Dr. Wijesuriya intervened to find out whether it would be possible for NGOs like the Diabetic Association to get down good quality lenses and give them at cost to patients.

He said the Diabetic Association was doing this now with regard to insulin. Patients are being given this at cost making no profit at all. Thus helping the average patient to cut down on medical expenses.

Some of those present in the audience, while commending Dr. Wijesuriya for coming out with this idea, said that they doubted very much whether it was workable because all these lenses had their Agents in the country and the manufacturers would not like to bypass them and offer lenses to any NGOs to be sold at no-profit basis. Dr. Wijesuriya however said he would still look into the possibility.

Dr. Wariyapola explaining in detail how diabetes affects the retina said that it is always best for diabetic patients to get annual check-ups done which will enable to make early diagnosis of eye retinopathy, thus making possible early treatment avoiding serious complications later on leading even to blindness.

A detailed article on Retinopathy will be carried shortly. The programme was sponsored by Philo Biotics, Vidya Mawatha, Colombo.